Houston's Green Link, a Downtown Houston circulator busline sponsored by the Houston Downtown District and BG Group, are free buses that run on 100% natural gas from 6AM to 6PM on weekdays. A Houston Engineer says it takes about 18,000 cubic feet of natural gas, approximately 135 dge (diesel fuel), to fill the tank of a Green Link bus. An additional source claims that the tank of a Green Link bus is refilled about twice a week for its weekly duty of circulating Downtown Houston 12 hours a day for 5 days. Not bad, is it?

Days ago, Mitt Romney reminded us that Barack Obama has in fact invested billions into alternative energy research. Why people are not buying into alternative sources of energy with billions available, I understand not. I know, most of the people in the Oil Industry are old timers or beneficiaries of the Oil Industry who are obviously afraid their bank accounts would go dry.

I am however pleased to know that some people are in fact getting into renewable energy or alternative energy to help "us" limit dependency upon foreign oil that for past decades has incited too many wars, and resulting in the unnecessary deaths of innocent people worldwide. I sure hope more folks would get into renewable and alternative energy.

If you are in Houston or are visiting Houston, make sure you ride the Green Link when in Downtown Houston. Go Green Link!!!

Since when is natural gas a "renewable" and if the buses are "free" why did it take billions of dollars of "investments" to make them so?

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"I am however pleased to know that some people are in fact getting into renewable energy or alternative energy to help "us" limit dependency upon foreign oil that for past decades has incited too many wars, and resulting in the unnecessary deaths of innocent people worldwide."

You know, taking words out-of-context is one of the most dangerous thing in any language. In the future, get into the habit of reading entire sentence before submitting response. And, it might better answer your query if you would re-read my original thread and then present question.

Natural gas is neither a "renewable" nor an "alternative"...It has been used as fuel, albeit not often for motor vehicles, for more than a century.

Probably helps to know the meanings for words before invoking the claim that your poor choice of them are taken out of context.

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I think you forget that this discussion is about alternative energy or renewable energy as opposed to Oil that we are addicted to. True, Gas has been in usage almost as long as Oil; but not as desired or promoted form propelling fuel.

Thus, the thought in this discussion, as already stated, is: Why are we not concentrating on other alternate sources of energy as opposed to longtime dependency on Oil that has continuously resulted in worldwide conflicts. Got it?

Probably because those "alternatives" aren't as efficient, portable, cost effective or effective in any other sense of the word.

Regardless, a lot of natural gas comes as an incidental byproduct of oil production.

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Same pessimism existed during start-up of Oil & Gas Industry. I pray that logical, decent folks would support all possible sources of renewable and alternative energy:

If this matter is left in hands of beneficiaries of the Oil & Gas Industry, then we will forever be in Middle Eastern nations, South American nations and African nations killing and be killed in order to get control over the natural resources of other nations. Please, support renewable and alternative energy.

If US Congress had paid attention to Ford years ago about alternative sources of fuel for vehicles, then we will be having a different discussion today. Congress, probably filled with investors in Oil, helped monopolized Oil as sole fuel for vehicles, though the dimwits would later turn around and crucify superb saleman, Rockefeller, for monopoly (as if the man had gun to their heads when he convinced them to sway his way).

Please, support renewable and alternative energy. We cannot continue to sacrifice the lives of innocent people worldwide just so can dominant the Oil & Gas Industry. Focus on other alternative sources of energy and spare the lives of people worldwide.

A 57-page report prepared by engineering company URS Corp. and environmental consultancy The Levon Group for the American Petroleum Institute and America's Natural Gas alliance says greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas production are lower than previous estimates. ANGA Executive Vice President Tom Amontree said the scientific study was drafted to reinforce a position that natural gas is a clean energy option for the United States.

The study says methane emissions from natural gas production are at least 53 percent lower than estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The URS-Levon study examined 91,000 wells from 20 different companies, compared to the 8,800 in an EPA survey. "Industry has led efforts to reduce emissions of methane by developing new technologies and equipment, and these efforts are paying off," Howard Feldman, API director of regulatory and scientific affairs, said in a statement.

API has described as unscientific recent EPA findings that chemicals associated with natural gas production in underground shale formations were detectable in groundwater monitoring wells. There was no public comment available from the EPA on the emissions report.

Obama shows support for natural gasWASHINGTON, Oct. 26,`12 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is touting the economic benefits of natural gas in a way he never did four years ago as a candidate.

U.S. President Barack Obama, in a plan for his second term released this week, is touting the economic benefits of natural gas in a way he never did four years ago as a candidate. The shift reflects a new political reality -- prices are down for natural gas and jobs are up -- that is causing the United States' "green president" to embrace a changing power landscape. "He didn't see this coming at all but you should say that most people didn't see it coming," said William S. Peirce, professor emeritus of economics at Case Western University. "It happened so quickly that the administration didn't have time to oppose it."

The economic rationale outlined in the plan is a change from four years ago when Obama was more focused on the environmental impact of energy policy. But with the economy top of mind for voters, and the natural gas industry providing a welcome boost, Obama has embraced natural gas production. The price of natural gas hit a 10-year low in March, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said, buoyed by hydraulic fracturing, which is also called fracking. "The drilling boom and the associated beginnings of construction of new plants will certainly help him in places like Ohio and Pennsylvania," Peirce said.

Though he may not deserve much of the credit, Obama stands to benefit from the bump natural gas has given to economies in those key swing states. The campaign pamphlet released this week, "The New Economic Patriotism: A Plan for Jobs and Middle-Class Security," is being touted in a national ad campaign as a jobs plan. As in the presidential debates between Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney, many of the environmental buzzwords from 2008 -- climate change, global warming -- are absent from the document.

A 57-page report prepared by engineering company URS Corp. and environmental consultancy The Levon Group for the American Petroleum Institute and America's Natural Gas alliance says greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas production are lower than previous estimates. ANGA Executive Vice President Tom Amontree said the scientific study was drafted to reinforce a position that natural gas is a clean energy option for the United States.

The study says methane emissions from natural gas production are at least 53 percent lower than estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The URS-Levon study examined 91,000 wells from 20 different companies, compared to the 8,800 in an EPA survey. "Industry has led efforts to reduce emissions of methane by developing new technologies and equipment, and these efforts are paying off," Howard Feldman, API director of regulatory and scientific affairs, said in a statement.

API has described as unscientific recent EPA findings that chemicals associated with natural gas production in underground shale formations were detectable in groundwater monitoring wells. There was no public comment available from the EPA on the emissions report.

Obama shows support for natural gasWASHINGTON, Oct. 26,`12 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is touting the economic benefits of natural gas in a way he never did four years ago as a candidate.

U.S. President Barack Obama, in a plan for his second term released this week, is touting the economic benefits of natural gas in a way he never did four years ago as a candidate. The shift reflects a new political reality -- prices are down for natural gas and jobs are up -- that is causing the United States' "green president" to embrace a changing power landscape. "He didn't see this coming at all but you should say that most people didn't see it coming," said William S. Peirce, professor emeritus of economics at Case Western University. "It happened so quickly that the administration didn't have time to oppose it."

The economic rationale outlined in the plan is a change from four years ago when Obama was more focused on the environmental impact of energy policy. But with the economy top of mind for voters, and the natural gas industry providing a welcome boost, Obama has embraced natural gas production. The price of natural gas hit a 10-year low in March, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said, buoyed by hydraulic fracturing, which is also called fracking. "The drilling boom and the associated beginnings of construction of new plants will certainly help him in places like Ohio and Pennsylvania," Peirce said.

Though he may not deserve much of the credit, Obama stands to benefit from the bump natural gas has given to economies in those key swing states. The campaign pamphlet released this week, "The New Economic Patriotism: A Plan for Jobs and Middle-Class Security," is being touted in a national ad campaign as a jobs plan. As in the presidential debates between Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney, many of the environmental buzzwords from 2008 -- climate change, global warming -- are absent from the document.

Very funny, though I am not sure if your granny is speaking Ebonics or Pidgin English. I however believe if alternative sources of energy were pursued as fiercely as oil, then we will all live more harmoniously worldwide.

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